Of Pride. From Proverbial Philosophy Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABCDEFGHEIJJGJKAJAEL MJLAMLLL MLLJNALAOLJPLAJJL M| Deep is the sea and deep is hell but Pride mineth deeper | A |
| It is coiled as a poisonous worm about the foundations of the soul | B |
| If thou expose it in thy motives and track it in thy springs of thought | C |
| Complacent in its own detection it will seem indignant virtue | D |
| Smoothly will it gratulate thy skill O subtle anatomist of self | E |
| And subtle at its very being while it nestleth the deeper in thy bosom | F |
| Pride is a double traitor and betrayeth itself to entrap thee | G |
| Making thee vain of thy self knowledge proud of thy discoveries of pride | H |
| Fruitlessly thou strainest for humility by darkly diving into self | E |
| Rather look away from innate evil and gaze upon extraneous good | I |
| For in sounding the deep things of the heart thou shalt learn to be vain of its capacities | J |
| But in viewing the heights above thee thou shalt be taught thy littleness | J |
| Could an emmet pry into itself it might marvel at its own anatomy | G |
| But let it look on eagles to discern how mean a thing it is | J |
| And all things hang upon comparison to the greater great is small | K |
| Neither is there anything so vile but somewhat yet is viler | A |
| On all sides is there an infinity the culprit at the gallows hath his worse | J |
| And the virgin martyr at the stake need not look far for a better | A |
| Therefore see thou that thine aim reacheth unto higher than thyself | E |
| Beware that the standard of thy soul wave from the loftiest battlement | L |
| For pride is a pestilent meteor flitting on the marshes of corruption | M |
| That will lure thee forward to thy death if thou seek to track it to its source | J |
| Pride is a gloomy bow arching the infernal firmament | L |
| That will lead thee on if thou wilt hunt it even to the dwelling of despair | A |
| Deep calleth unto deep and mountain overtoppeth mountain | M |
| And still shalt thou fathem to no end the depth and the height of pride | L |
| For it is the vast ambition of the soul warped to an idol object | L |
| And nothing but a Deity in Self can quench its insatiable thirst | L |
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| Be aware of the smiling enemy that openly sheatheth his weapon | M |
| But mingleth poison in secret with the sacred salt of hospitality | L |
| For pride will he dormant in thy heart to snatch its secret opportunity | L |
| Watching as a lion ant in the bottom of its toils | J |
| Stay not to parley with thy foe for his tongue is more potent than his arm | N |
| But be wiser fighting against pride in the simple panoply of prayer | A |
| As one also of the poets hath said let not the Proteus escape thee | L |
| For he will blaze forth as fire and quench himself in likeness of water | A |
| He will fright thee as a roaring beast or charm thee as a subtle reptile | O |
| Mark amid all his transformations the complicate deceitfulness of pride | L |
| And the more he striveth to elude thee bind him the closer in thy toils | J |
| Prayer is the net that snareth him prayer is the fetter that holdeth him | P |
| Thou canst not nourish pride while waiting as an alms man on thy God | L |
| Waiting in sinceiity and trust or pride shall meet thee even there | A |
| Yea from the palaces of Heaven hath pride cast down his millions | J |
| Root up the mandrake from thy heart though it cost thee blood and groans | J |
| Or the cherished garden of thy graces will fade and perish utterly | L |
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| Transcribed from Proverbial Philosophy by Mick Puttock August Spelling punctuation and grammer left mostly unchanged from the th edition | M |
Martin Farquhar Tupper
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Of Pride. From Proverbial Philosophy is a poem by Martin Farquhar Tupper. This page includes the poem text, poet information, related topics, comments, and similar poems.